


The winter of Warlock

by lilarose300



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Bittersweet, Community: Do It With Style Events, Do It With Style Good Omens Reverse Bang, Fluff, Gen, Magical Realism, Winter, bisexual Warlock Dowling, old Warlock Dowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29166687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilarose300/pseuds/lilarose300
Summary: Memories are the most precious thing we have for they tell us how much we loved someone.Warlock knew that the past was important to be able to appreciate the present and build the futur, but he had sometimes been quick to dismiss it. Living in the present is his favored philosophy and as made him the man he is today. On day, however, he will have the chance to discover how the past can be as much as a gift as the present.It was the winter of 2046...
Relationships: Aziraphale & Warlock Dowling, Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley & Warlock Dowling, Warlock Dowling/Other(s)
Kudos: 12
Collections: Do It With Style Good Omens Reverse Bang





	The winter of Warlock

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I'm so happy to be part of this event! I hope you guys are having a good time with your family and your loved ones for this fic is a celebration of memories and of remembering the people you love and once loved.
> 
> The art has been made by foxleycrow and the link to be able to see the art is right here!  
> Tumblr: https://64.media.tumblr.com/0d90e9262bb36b46fbbd46bf6745be8e/793599976a13a9bd-7d/s1280x1920/2a215980b68bd9d2401ed6d53b80fc6d44cbf606.png
> 
> Enjoy!

The winter of 2046, Warlock will always remember the date. He lived through 67 years and not once had he had a winter like this one. It will always be his favorite and the most precious memory he ever had.

Of course, any parents would tell you that the wedding of their offspring is the most important moment of their life and, for once, Warlock agreed with them. 

He couldn’t be more proud of Amelia, his little monster since she was born, and is so happy for her. Of course, he is also happy for Judith since she is the lucky woman who will get to marry his daughter. She always wondered when her older brother, Roger, would join her on the bandwagon of happily wed and often teased him for it.

Roger can always count on the fact that his father will support him no matter what he does with his life, whether he gets married or not. Warlock has never been a big fan himself. He tried it once, it didn’t end well. His friends told him that perhaps he wasn’t the right guy, or that maybe the few fights they had wouldn’t have doubled if he tried to be less stubborn, but whatever the real reason was, marriage isn't for him.

But seeing his little girl so happy for the big day and what lies beyond, he couldn’t help but be happy for her. It may not work for him, but he knows it will work for them.

Judith said that it would be a winter wedding. He never understood why some people would want that, but at least they won’t have to be outside for the ceremony since they’ve decided to do it in a manor in the countryside. It was somewhere in the South Downs he heard, he didn’t quite catch the name of the village they were going to since he slept for most of the drive there.

He couldn’t wait for the day, why wouldn’t he? He was going to walk his girl down the aisle, his mind was set on it. The big day was tomorrow, but he still came one day early and decided to check in a little hotel so he wouldn’t have to make the drive in a cab tomorrow and fear being late.

The room he was in was quite homey, the furniture and the wallpaper reminded him of the house he bought in the countryside north of London for retirement… The window had a view of a garden that would bloom in the summer. There were paved trails in and around it, where couples and families would walk in to admire its beauty. There would be sunflowers, and carnations, and roses, and camellias, and dahlias…

Thinking of what his retirement was like a few years ago won’t help with what he thinks is nervousness for the coming wedding. He moved back to London for a reason, didn’t he? Not only that, but it was easier to see the kids this way…

What an old fool he could be sometimes, worrying over a memory from three years or so ago. But then again, he couldn’t help but think about it. Would Amelia and Judith have a retirement like this one? Would they be happy with the one they loved and married?...

Warlock needed some air. It wasn’t good for him to dwell on it like that. That couldn’t be good for the heart. He needed to be out and do something, he could go for a walk and see what the scenery of winter has to offer!

And that’s what he did. Now with his coat, boots, scarf, and mittens, he was out of the hotel and walked down the streets of the village.

It was nice actually, just what he needed. The streets were calm except for the few pedestrians going about their day and some children playing in the park he just passed. The shops were lively and he even went into a small cafe to get lunch. 

Strangely, he wasn’t tired of his walk yet. Even with his old bones, he still had the energy to go on. So, with the wind whisking in his long grey hair, he started to walk down the streets again, and then down the pavement of a park on the outskirt of the village, and finally down a trail in the woods behind the park.

It was a well-worn path, the kind that numerous cyclists and hikers would use just to get themselves lost in while they trained. One that maybe a few villagers would go to and trim the grass on each side to make it look presentable to families and other tourists, just because they had nothing else to do.

Warlock hadn’t got the chance to go walk in trails like that one. Maybe he should have done that sooner. He liked how the wind softly howls in the great tunnel that the naked trees attempted to form without their leaves to help. How there was enough snow so he could hear it crunch under his feet as he walked, but not too much to feel the cold seep in. How this felt so familiar, yet so far away…

When was the last time he ever did walk in a trail like this one? In uni, perhaps, or maybe in the woods behind his parents' old house?

His childhood always had been a weird one, hasn’t it? He knew from the moment he caught his nanny change into a snake or his gardener reviving a poor batch of daisies that his childhood was far from normal. I mean, what kind of people would think you’re the antichrist or something for no reason? His parents didn’t believe him, of course, they didn’t. Nobody believed him. Even his nanny said to him with this low voice she always had ‘’But what could you possibly mean by that?’’ So, when he was old enough to not need a nanny anymore, he just tried to not think about it.

That’s what he does with most of his trauma and bad memories. He would either throw them in a box and file them away, or he would try to rationalize it. He did the first one more than the second. After all, his motto is to not look too closely at the past and live in the present like you’re gonna die tomorrow. But no matter how much he turns and twists and looks at it from a different angle, he couldn’t explain the things that happened in his childhood, or why he can remember them so vividly…

_Would she have believed me? God, that was so long ago._

He walked like this for 15 minutes and would have continued on his train of thought if it wasn’t for the sudden appearance of a man walking on the left side of the road.

He was walking in the opposite direction as Warlock, so he could see his face clearly. He was old but definitely a bit younger than him, a decade maybe. His hair is blond, with just a start of grey above each of his ears. Warlock’s were almost all grey, with a couple of little patches of hair here and there who are stubbornly not greying. his eyes are a clear blue, followed with wrinkles that told stories of the man before him.

He thinks he stared a bit too long because the old man turned his head towards him before smiling warmly.

‘’Oh! Hello there. I didn’t think I would see someone else for another good ten minutes.’’

‘’Me neither, I wasn’t planning on seeing anybody for hours. Walking around here often?’’ Warlock says before approaching the stranger. Might as well not make it weird and make small talk.

‘’Oh yes. I think it’s quite calming, especially this time of the year. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you on this track, did I?’’

‘’I don’t think so, I don’t come from here.’’ Warlock replied ‘’Here on a vacation of sorts.’’

‘’Really? Here to see family?’’ The other asked

‘’In a way, yes. My daughter is getting married tomorrow. I’m here early so I wouldn’t miss it.’’

‘’Oh really? Well, congratulations to your daughter.’’ He says ‘’ This is a great area to get married. I wouldn’t say it’s the best in winter, but I can see the charm in it. Personally, I prefer spring weddings. It’s when my husband and I got married too. It wasn’t a big wedding or anything, just our friends since… our families don’t really approve of our union, but heartwarming and beautiful nonetheless.’’

‘’Umm, yeah, definitely.’’ Warlock intelligently replied.

Seeing as he made him slightly uncomfortable, the man took a step back, his cheeks slightly showing his embarrassment.  
‘’Of course, you must have places to be. No need for me to ramble on about that sort of thing. May your walk be calm and invigorating.’’ And with that, he walked past him.

Warlock stood there for a few seconds before turning back and yelling ‘’Wait! I have a question to ask you.’’

The other man turned back to him, now several feet away from him, but still in hearing reach.

‘’You walk these trails often, right? Could you suggest to me some good routes I could take so I can walk in relative peace?’’

A little taken aback by the question but walking a little closer to Warlock so he could hear, the old man said ‘’Well, I’m almost sure that most of the trails are empty this time of the year, so you won’t have to pass by many people. However, there are a couple of trails that are magnificent in winter. There is the old trail that leads to an abandoned orchard not too far from here, or if you're ready to make the hike, you could go to the one that leads to the lake. It is quite a view, dear boy, I’m telling you… Or there may be the hidden trail that could be worth a try, but I’m not quite sure.’’

‘’Then I’ll take that one.’’ Warlock said without waiting a beat ‘’ Where can I find it?’’

‘’Oh… Well, you see, that’s the problem. It’s called the hidden trail because few people know where it is. You have to know where to look if you want to find it, or, as I did years ago, stumble upon it.’’

‘’It’s alright, I can try to find it.’’

‘’Are you sure?’’ the man insisted ‘’It’s not a small walk from here. Maybe you won’t find it or you could get lost if you’re not careful. There isn’t anybody for miles away and it will be difficult to call for help if you get into trouble.’’

‘’It’s going to be fine.’’He reassures ‘’ I know my limits, I’ll turn around if I can’t take it. And like you said, there is a chance I won’t even find it anyway. I’m just doing this out of curiosity.’’ 

And he tells the truth.

The other man looks at Warlock for another minute before giving in ‘’If you follow this trail, you’ll see it will split into two trails. Go right, then take the left trail when it splits again, and right again. From there, look on the right side of the trail and walk it until you see something that could resemble its entry. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find it.’’ he ended with a nervous smile.

‘’Thank you for your help. I hope you have a nice day.’’ Warlock smiled back before turning around and walked back on the trail he was following.

He did not see the expression of the old man before walking away.

Seconds turned to minutes, and soon enough it had been an hour. After an hour of walking down the trail, he still hasn't found the mysterious hidden trail. He followed the instructions to the letter and still nothing. He wasn’t the kind of man to abandon like that, especially not when he was working for his publishing house. However, with his feet getting a tad too cold for his liking and with no sight of the entrance to the trail in sight, it was harder to continue like this.

He sighs and slowly walks his way back up the trail. He still made it pretty far too. It was already 1:30 PM on his watch. At least he would have done something with his time while waiting for the day to end. Maybe he’ll make it in time to get a latte from the coffee shop he passed earlier, as a treat.

That’s when he heard it. He barely walked two minutes when he heard the strange giggles.

He looks around, trying to find something, someone, who could have caused it, but there was no one in sight. Just him and the snow trail.

Then he heard it again. The giggles. Not just any little bouts of laughter. It was from a woman. A woman he couldn’t see.

He tried to follow them, strangely teasing him as he walked back down the trail. He tried to look closer, and closer, for where the source of the noise could come from. And then, he found it.

He has found the entry he was looking for. It was obvious why he didn’t notice it at first; a branch was heavy with snow and was perfectly hiding it from prying eyes. The noise stopped when he reached it.

Remembering the words of the other man, he took caution as he slowly lifted the branch. He made sure that he wouldn’t slip from a hidden ice sheet, and then he entered.

There was nobody on the other side, no one who could have made that noise earlier. Instead, there was something else behind the snowy branch. It was a trail, much like the one he took, but wilder. Not many people walk it regularly since there was no track left by hikers there, just a thin sheet of snow. On each side of the trail, there were countless bushes aligned with the trees. He looked up and could see a ceiling made of branches thickly intertwined together. The trail looked more like the corridor of a castle than anything else, with the heavy branch behind him being its door.

Just like something right out of a fairy tale.

He hears the giggles again, echoing through the makeshift hall that nature has built here. They were asking him to follow them, so he followed.

He walks and lets the soft laughter lead him through the forest. He could see light reflect on the snow on the ground. It shouldn’t be possible with how thick the forest was getting. It was as if it was smiling at him.

The walk through this natural hall may not have been so bad, all things considered.

That is until he reached the frozen river.

He had just come out from the tunnel of trees when he saw it. It was a couple of feet wide and the trail continued on the other side of the river. There was no bridge he could use to get across it and he didn’t know how thin the ice was or if it could even support his weight.

There was no natural way in front of him he could use to get across it and he started to think that maybe this was it. Maybe he could have been able to cross the river if he went at a different time of the year.

Well, at least he had a nice time on his walk.

...And it was at that moment that he turned to his left to go, stopped in his tracks, and smiled.

‘’Well, would you look at that.’’

Not too far away from where he was, there was a tree log that had fallen on its side. It was thick and dark and made a passage above the frozen river. He could use it to get across the river easily.

He walks towards it and puts a hand above its bark. What forces could have toppled over such a tree? It was quite impressive and must have made such a noise when it fell over. He puts his other hand on it and pushes himself on top of it before standing up.

He walks on it quickly and with ease, but as soon as he is on the other side, as he touches the ground, something… changes. It’s not something he can see or hear, the birds sing just as loudly as they did and the snow shines just as bright. It was a feeling, a sense of warmth that he wasn’t expecting at all. Even his feet aren’t freezing anymore, though he wasn’t complaining.

It was enough to discourage him to leave, whatever this meant. He takes a breath in and he starts to walk back on the tracks. The trail went back into the forest and soon he was back in this strange hall. It wasn’t different from the one he just got out of, same towering trees shielding the path from most of the sun, same bushes that made the path so clear, but something was off.

That’s when he hears something else. Not the giggles and laughter, this was different. Five minutes of walk and he could hear it better now. People were talking, though he couldn’t understand what they were saying in the distance. Why were there people on these tracks, and so far away from the main trails? Did they discover the path as well?

Well so much for some peace and quiet.

He walks toward the source of the noise until he sees them. Far in the distance, he could see a group of men huddled around an old fire pit a bit off on the side of the trail. They were chatting and passing around what he could only guess as food. Some laughed at something one of their peers just said, others were lying around as if they were taking a nap.

That couldn’t be good, right? Wasn’t this a protected natural park or something? Nonetheless, he doesn’t think they should be loitering in these parts of the woods, to begin with.

‘’Hey! What are you guys doing here!? I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be here, with disrupting the ecosystem and whatnot.’’ He yells at them as he picks up the pace to join them. Walking faster will make him seem more intimidating, or at least make him look less like a grumpy old man and more like someone who could whoop their asses. 

But nobody seemed to have heard him, not even a little turn of the head to acknowledge him. He couldn’t be that far from them; he almost walked half the distance!

‘’Are you all deaf or what!? you’re not supposed to be here, you-’’

He was almost reaching them, and it’s only now that he realized something was off with those men. They weren’t pretending to not listen to him, They weren’t even pretending to not see him arrive. From afar, he could only perceive them as shadows into the tunnel of trees that obscured half the light of the sun. Now, as he was next to their little settlement, he could see them reflect the few rays of sunshine that could pass through.

These were not people.

They looked and sounded like people, but they were definitely not. Their bodies of snow moved with the sound of voices and their hair and clothes were sculpted into the ice. Speaking of clothes, they were not at all up to date and there was weaponry laying around these men’s camp. He didn’t even know if these snowy figures were speaking in the worst English accent he had ever heard, or if they were speaking an entirely different language.

This, Warlock realizes with perfect clarity, wasn’t just any kind of magic trick of the light or anything of the sort.

This was a scenery of the past, a memory captured by magic in the winter forest.

Now, Warlock may be a bit of a skeptic around people when it comes to the supernatural, he often humored his friends who believed in something greater than them, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe in it himself. He was raised around supernatural and inexplicable phenomena. He knows that this is all possible no matter how much his brain wants him to forget or move on, and he knows not to completely shy away from it.

So, he takes it all in.

He approaches even closer to the encampment on the side of the track until he is directly in it. He could see with fascinated eyes the detail that went into this scene, every hair, every eyelash, every scar, and mole could be visible from where he stood. It was as if someone had made molds for each ice individual from a real human and filled it with snow and cold water.

The texture of their clothes and armor was also very detailed. He could see when fur turned to leather turned to metal. There were some helmets and shields thrown around and he could make his guess as to what kind of soldier these men must have been. He could hear a word or two in Latin, which makes him regret sleeping in his classes sometimes.

He was so enraptured by the sight in front of him he almost didn’t hear those familiar giggles. He lifted his head toward the trail again, but there was still nobody. This strange voice didn’t want him to just follow it, it wanted to show him something.

He gives the ice men one last glance before he walks back on the trail.

He didn't have to walk for long, only a few minutes and he could see another person on the other side of the trail, or at least another scenery.

This one was a woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, crouching and with what looked like a basket full of herbs and weed he didn’t recognize. She looked more like she was from the middle-age judging by her dress and by how her hair was made. She looked so peaceful in the quiet of the forest. It was strange, he was aware there were birds around somewhere, but he could barely hear them.

What he suddenly heard instead was a soft whine coming from the woman.

She didn’t look like it was her who made the noise. She looked surprised for a moment before she put down her basket and reached for something behind her. That’s when he noticed that she had a baby strapped on her back. He could see how the infant was bundled up in tight cloth when she took them in her arms. It didn’t take long before she started to hum a lullaby to the child.

It’s not the first time he sees something like this. Modern days or no, it’s not the first time he sees mothers and fathers tend to their babies in such a way.

It makes him reflect on his own parents sometimes. He knew a little involvement his father had in his life and how frustrated he was when his son decided to go into publishing, but who was going to stop Warlock from doing what he really wanted to do in life? Certainly not him. He didn’t have any regrets with this man. His mother, on the other hand, was a different story. A woman with a nearly absent husband whose only job was to be there for him and take care of her son. She didn’t do one more than the other, but doing those two jobs at the same time was very demanding for her. Warlock couldn’t blame her for it, not now. They didn’t say goodbye on the best of terms the first time he walked out of the house into the big world, and they hadn’t had the time to talk about everything they needed to say before she died. He had tried to bring her back into his life, but he wishes he had done it sooner.

It was on this reflection that he decided to walk on to the next scenery.

This time it was a group of young girls seated in a half-circle on the same side of the trail where he first saw the soldiers. By how they were talking, now in a more understandable but still not quite English, and passing notes and stories of some kinds, he immediately recognized what they were and smiled.

When he was very little, he always wanted to be a witch, much to his nanny’s approval and to his mother’s dismay. It was before he understood how misunderstood witches were at that time, but with his upbringing, it was to be expected. He’ll always remember the times he sneaked out of the house to run to his friends and do some not so legal things with his friends in the night. He always felt like he was going to get himself killed if he got caught, but that was the thrill that animated him in his teenage years.

The fourth scenery he encountered much later than the second or third scene was one he wasn’t exactly prepared to see, but still, a welcomed one.

A couple of children marching on into the forest, some of who decided to explore the unknown secrets of the woods. One at the front told the others behind to hurry up, and one of them asked him if they were there yet. Soon, the leader replied, soon you’ll see.

He had a strange feeling about this one. An omen one could say. These children walked further into the forest, not even entirely sure if they were going to find what they were looking for, or if it was worth it.

Was this all worth it, in the end?

He couldn’t be sure as he heard the soft laughter again. He had to see this through, to see what was waiting for him at the end.

He was washed over by relief when he could see the exit of the forest up ahead. his journey was almost over and he will be able to see how long he had walked in there. He was almost reaching it when another scenery stopped him in his tracks.

He didn’t stop because of their Victorian clothing which was a change compared to the other scenes, or because of how different the two characters seemed to be from one another. It was because of how familiar they felt to him, though he couldn’t pinpoint what. 

The snow didn’t leave much to the imagination as to what color their attires were, but he felt that one had much darker clothes than the other. The dark one was tall, lean, and had a cane with him that served as decoration. He even had something on his face, something that looked like it could be the ancestor of the sunglasses. The other one was a tad shorter than him and looked comfortably shaped. It could be so easy for people to mistake him for a pillow if he didn’t have arms or legs which became a morbid thought all of a sudden.

What are you doing in this part of the kingdom, said the tall one, didn’t you have a bookshop to take care of?

Oh, I wish I was, dear boy, I wish I was, said the shorter.

Boss upstairs sent you on a job?

Yes, well you know, a couple of blessings to be done. You?

Same thing as you. Well, not the same thing but you get the idea. Lots of trouble ahead.

Yes. Speaking of trouble, do you want to use the Arrangement for this one? Would save a lot of time this way.

Nah, I’m good. We’re both here, so I don’t see why we should. Plus, I think we should find an inn for the night, I have a lot of things to tell you, so many things I’ve learned while I was down in Germany!

Well, That would be jolly good! Um, over dinner?

Of course! Lead the way.

The duo started to walk in Warlock’s direction, side by side. There was a subtlety in their actions and their speech. How they smiled at each other with a knowing and fond eye. They didn’t hold each other's hand, but they didn’t have to. Their bond was more profound than any other like they understood each other. They could be forbidden lovers or just two good friends for all it mattered, He could see how far they would go for each other just with how they look at each other. These two individuals are so different, yet they can relate to each other so perfectly.

Warlock was walking again, but he couldn’t help but glance back at the two from his shoulder. They did not stop and neither did he. He didn’t realize where he was walking, didn’t realize he just exited the forest. He only did when he started to hear the wind.

He was in a clearing, a large circle place, covered with a thicker coat of snow. The frost and snow covered the trees like leaves in the summer. This place was beautiful, but it’s not what captivated him the most.

He turns around to the sound of the giggles again, and finally finds the source of this soft melody. It was a sight to behold.

A white column dressed in the middle of the clearing, a tornado of snowflakes that gathered around snow and ice. It moved around graciously, spiraling around like it was dancing to the sound of the wind and the laughter. The giggle seemed to have changed too. They were youthful when he started his journey, Now they seemed older, wiser, and full of joyous memories.

This phenomenon, This impossible thing was right there in front of him, this cold colossus of joy could easily swipe him away in one gush of snow. He could have run away from it or stood there in fear as he saw it move, but he didn’t do either of those things. Instead, he opened his mouth in awe and laughed.

It was soft, something between disbelief and amazement, but for some reason the tornado noticed him.

It stopped in its tracks and it took Warlock by surprise by how abrupt it was. It didn’t take long to get back composure and start to do something with the snow on the ground.

It started with it gathering the snow into the air as if it took a handful of snow all at once. Then, it started to take shape. It formed in the eye of the tornado with the patience of a sculptor and the tenderness of a mother. The snow was taking form with ice and frost until it was done. It puts back down the lady it made from snow on the ground and disappeared in the blink of an eye. All that was left was her.

She was like the people the tornado made in the other sceneries, but this was different. She wore a long skirt that went to her knees, with ballerina shoes and long socks. She had a blouse with a decorative pin of a swallow where her heart should be. She was made like the other ice people, but she was different.

Because he didn’t know who those people were in their past lives, but he knew her. He knew who she was better than anyone else.

This was Dahlia Prince

His Dahlia that he hadn’t seen in the flesh in so long.

Warlock almost falls over as he sees her, a perfect copy of her. She had her short curly hair in a high ponytail just like she often did with a pair of earrings to match her outfit. Her wrinkles and lines were the proof of a life lived to the fullest. Her eyes were old, but with a sharpness to it, as if she knew something that no one else does. He could almost see her deep caramel skin in the purity of the snow. She was exactly how she was the last time he saw her.

She smiled at Warlock and walked toward him. He didn’t dare move from where he stood. He only lets her approach as he could slowly see her more and more in detail.

She stopped just in front of him and looked up to face him. ‘’What’s wrong Warly? You look like you just saw a ghost.’’ She says, and god it sounds just like her.

‘’Of-Of course I look like I saw a ghost, you-’’ But he didn’t dare say it.

It had been three years since she died, but it was still not easier to talk about. The illness took her so suddenly. He couldn’t help but hurt as she was suffering in those few weeks, but he supported her, until the end. He didn’t handle her death well, the kids didn’t either, but he knew she would not have been happy with him if he sat depressed all day. He did what he did best and lived in the present, she always admired that in him.

‘’Come on, you aren’t going to be uptight with me now, are you?’’ She says with an amused expression.

‘’What if I was?’’ He replied with a teasing smile. ‘’And what gives you the right to judge me so? I don’t know if you’re real or not!’’

‘’Is that so? Well then, ask me something only the true Dahlia Prince would know.’’

‘’I’m not going to fall for that trick.’’ he snorted

‘’And yet.’’ She only said, waiting expectantly.

‘’...How did we first meet?’’

‘’Really? That’s your question? You’re going soft Warly.’’

‘’Indulge me then, I want to hear you say it.’’ He says with a more serious tone.

She only nodded before she started. ‘’Let’s see. I remember it was a day of late spring, you were about 32 at the time.’’

‘’Ah yes, 32 years old, freshly out of the most unsuccessful decade of my love life. A bad divorce and lots of breakups.’’

‘’I thought I was the one who tells the story?’’

‘’Can’t I comment on it?’’ He says with a smile.

She laughs at this before she continues. ‘’So, 32 years old and walking down the street from wherever you came from that day. You walked past the building of the crime scene when I walked out of it. I remember it being a tough one and I was tired as hell.’’

‘’You looked tired as well when you walked on the other side of the yellow tape.’’

‘’Shush you, I’m getting to the best part. As I’ve said, I was running on half a cup of coffee and I was two inches away from walking home and getting a glass of gin when I saw you walk past me. You looked at me, and I looked at you, and I point to you and say ‘Hey, you. Come get coffee with me.’’’

‘’I didn’t hesitate to take my chance on a possible date.’’

‘’I think you were more scared of what I could do to you if you didn't accept the invitation.’’

‘’I didn’t say no out of fear, never out of fear.’’

‘’And we went on a date, then a second-’’

‘’And it was love.’’ Warlock finished. He looked back at her and couldn’t deny that it was Dahlia Prince, or at least as close to Dahlia as he could get.

As if knowing what he needed, she approached him and they took each other in an embrace. It was almost exactly how you imagine a huge with a lady made of snow felt like, cold and slightly harder than what a human being should be. There was only a small echo of warmth coming from her, a dream of what it felt like to hold her in his arms.

They broke apart and Dahlia took the time to put her hand in his ‘’I’ve heard Amelia is getting married.’’

‘’Yes, she is. God, they are growing so fast.’’

‘’That they are.’’ She smiled and looked down and back up again. With concerned eyes, she could see that something was bothering him, deep down. ‘’What are you thinking about, love?’’

Warlock was a bit surprised by that question, but he always knew he couldn’t hide anything from her. ‘’ This wedding… It made me think all day. I couldn’t help but think about it. No matter how much I tried to concentrate on something else, something or someone would remind me of it.’’

‘’Are you nervous about the wedding?’’ She asks.  
‘’Of course not! At least, not in a bad way. Honestly… I feel a bit guilty and… regretful.’’

‘’Why could possibly make you feel this way, Warly?’’

Warlock looked at his boots for a second before he faced her again. ‘’Dahlia… Should we have gotten married?’’

A beat, then two, and then she laughed. She was surprised most of all and was a bit amused by what he just said. She soon realizes that he didn’t follow her in her fun.

‘’Oh, Oh you were serious?’’ She says. ‘’Oh Warly, What makes you think that?’’

‘’I don’t know. It was quite stupid but I can’t help but feel that maybe we should have? I just see Amelia and Judith and how happy they were to organize the wedding, how happy they looked as they counted the days down, and how I imagine them later, happily living in a house just like we did. I just can’t help but… Like I said, stupid.’’

‘’...Would you have wanted a wedding?’’

‘’What?’’ That question took him by surprise. She looked back at him with the most serious face he ever saw her with.

‘’If we could have done it all over, would you have wanted a wedding?’’

And he thought about it. He already knew the answer to that, he had for years, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t changed.

‘’No, of course not, but-’’

‘’Neither do I. You don’t have to worry about what I think about weddings. I always thought they were cheezy and a weird celebration that just wasn’t us… We wouldn’t have been happier if we'd gotten married and we didn’t waste our time not getting married. In fact, we decided to take the time that we would have if we had a wedding and used it to travel the world instead! We went to France and Romania and Greece…’’

‘’And India, and Japan and Brazil’’ He completed with a soft smile on his face. The memories they’ve shared during those 6 months were something he would never trade for the world. He would even end the world himself if it meant keeping those memories. 

‘’Do you feel better now?’’ She asks

‘’A bit, still stressed though, it’s still tomorrow.’’

‘’Yeah… Will you be ok?’’

‘’Of course, I will… I just wished that you would be there.’’

‘’...Maybe I can’t be there, but there is still something we could do instead.’’ She squeezed his hands in hers before she let go and took a step back. Then, she bowed a tad dramatically and offered a hand. ‘’May I have a dance?’’

She didn’t have to wait for an answer long, she knew he would take her hands with a silent smile and a gentle nod.

They didn’t much waltz as they swayed from one side to the other at first. Eyes locked on each other and nothing else. The wind and the birds sing in the background with their dance, and if you heard closely, you could hear the forest sing a long-forgotten song with the voice of thousands.

Warlock felt like floating, dancing with his love, his queen like they used to when they were alone made him so happy. He couldn’t concentrate on anything else, only him and her and the forest. And if someone was passing by, if someone came from the same trail as he did and saw a man with a woman made of ice dancing around two feet in the air, well he wouldn’t have cared much for what they thought.

The song slowly faded to an end, and the two went back to Earth. Their forehead touched one another and they stayed quiet for a while. They both knew that this was it, It was soon the time to say goodbye, a proper goodbye.

‘’You should go soon, I don’t want you to get lost in the woods at night.’’ Dahlia said softly.

‘’I should, shouldn’t I?’’

‘’Tell Amelia I’m so proud of what she’s become and tell Roger that I miss him very much, will you?’’

‘’Of course, Dahlia. I love you’’

‘’I don’t doubt that. Love you too, dear. Take care of yourself.’’

‘’You too.’’

Who closed the gap between their lips, no one could tell. All Warlock knows is that he closed his eyes, brought her a bit closer in his arm, and felt the soft touch of a kiss. It wasn’t passionate or delicate, just enough to say everything that was left unsaid. He opened his eyes once more, and he was alone.

\---  
The return to the village was faster than Warlock had expected. It was almost 3:00 PM when Dahlia had disappeared and it took only 15 minutes for him to get back on the main trail and back to the park. He could have sworn that it took at least an hour to walk back, but then again most things didn’t make much sense today, did they?

He was about to walk back to his hotel when he saw the man from earlier. He sat there on a bench between two large trees and seemed preoccupied. He didn’t seem to have noticed that almost everybody in the park is gone and that it’s starting to get dark.

Warlock walked towards him and says ‘’May I join you?’’

The other man jumped out of his train of thoughts and turned his head toward him with an awkward smile.

‘’Oh, hello again. How was your walk?’’

‘’It went great, thank you again for your suggestion.’’ He sat beside him as he said that. ‘’You seem a bit down over there, mate. What seems to be the matter?’’

‘’Oh, it’s nothing of importance, really. Just a silly thought.’’

‘’I don’t think it’s just a ‘silly thought’ If you stayed on this bench and brooded for almost two hours.’’

The man straightens up and looks around him, finally noticing his environment. He hadn’t expected to stay out long. ‘’ How did you-’’

‘’When we parted ways on the trail, there was at least a 15 minutes walk to the park and I don’t think you decided to go home and come back here to be depressed. You stayed there all this time.’’

‘’Well, that’s clever of you, but I’m going to be fine.’’ He says with reservation.

‘’That’s alright, but if you want someone to vent to, I’m here now.’’

He waited for a couple of minutes. Warlock didn’t know if the stranger was going to stand up and go or if he’ll talk, but he thought he might give him a chance.

The other played with his hand for a time before he turned back to Warlock.

‘’When you’ve mentioned the wedding of your daughter earlier, it made me think of something. Of my… old family. And it made me think of my relationship with my husband too and how much I love him. We’ve been married for quite some time, but we have been together for far longer. I was thinking about how dangerous my relationship with him was dangerous and how I almost lost him. I know that we are safe now, but there is always this fear that resurfaces and I know it’s not going to happen… but I can’t help but feel like I don’t have much time with him. Which is ridiculous because it’s not going to happen because we are- that is-’’

‘’I think I understand.’’

‘’...You do?’’ The other gentleman asks, surprised.

‘’It’s normal to feel that way, I can tell you that I’ve had this feeling before. Nobody wants to be separated by death. We know it’s inevitable and it’s going to happen, but we continue to live one with our loved ones.’’

‘’Yes, I suppose so…’’ He didn’t look that convinced.

‘’... Let me give you an advice, then.’’ The other man abruptly turns his head towards Warlock as he leaned a little closer to him. ‘’ Life is short, and there is always going to be a time when you’ll doubt and that’s ok. But if you’re afraid that you don’t have much time left to live, then think of the memories you could make in the meantime, and the memories you can make now with your husband. I’ve always lived by the philosophy of living like you were gonna die tomorrow, but if you think that’s a bit of an extreme way of thinking, at least take the time to appreciate the present as if it was a gift, a gift from the world.’’

‘’Wow, that is- That is good advice, excellent even. I’ll make sure to remember that.’’ He says with a smile. ‘’Thank you so much for listening to me, I don’t know how I can repay you-’’

‘’No need. You gave me the suggestion for my walk, I think we’re even.’’

‘’I don’t think that’s nearly enough to repay you with this olive branch you gave me. No, I insist, if there is anything I can repay you with, I’ll do it, dear boy.’’ He says with insistence. It was dangerous to say something like that, what if Warlock was a thug instead of an old man?

‘’ I guess I could use an ear too.’’ He says, thinking of how much of a bad idea this is. ‘’ I’ve found the secret trail, you know? Almost missed it with how well it was hidden. I would have passed right beside it if it wasn’t… Look, I know it will sound crazy, but what I’ve experienced in those woods wasn’t natural. I saw things that didn’t make sense, heard things almost impossible. I’ve danced with someone I never thought I would see again, someone I’ve lost a long time ago…’’

The man didn’t seem to have a hint of skepticism in his body as he told this. He was even listening with attention.

‘’And even then, that was not the first time I’ve had a run-in with the supernatural. I was constantly exposed to it for most of my childhood! Nobody believed me, of course. Who would believe a ten-year-old who saw someone reanimate the neighbor's cat just because he was sad? I’ve always tried to make sense of it, and the fact that I can’t sometimes makes me feel like I’m crazy… You must think I’m crazy too.’’

‘’On the contrary, I don’t think you’re crazy, my friend.’’

‘’You… believe me?’’

The man looked pensive before he responded. ‘’I must admit that I do believe in the supernatural and in things greater than us. I also believe in the magical property of the trail I’ve proposed to you. I do not know what you saw back there, but I know that it was special to you. I believe that whatever you saw and experienced, you should cherish it. It doesn’t matter if people believe you or not, your memories are your own and nobody should say they value less because it doesn’t make sense. Not everything has to make sense. That’s why human life is so interesting after all, ineffable at its core.’’

It was strange, really. How this man could have such a clear understanding of how he felt without having to relate to him, without needing to be there with him to believe what he knew he saw. He looked at him as if they were on a private joke of their own.

‘’Thank you.’’ Warlock said, and he meant it from the bottom of his heart.

‘’You don’t need to thank me… Well, I’ve just realized that I don’t know your name, sir.’’

‘’Oh right, and I don’t know yours either. It’s Warlock, Warlock Dowling.’’

There was a surprise in the man’s eyes as if he wasn’t expecting to hear that. Then the surprised face turned into a look that he couldn’t define, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone reacted so strongly at his name.

‘’ Yeah I know, not a common name, is it? I’ll give you that it’s a weird name, my parents chose it after some weird nuns suggested it.’’

‘’Oh! No, no, It’s not that. I was just… surprised. I didn’t want to be impolite or-’’

‘’It’s alright, no need for apologies. Actually, you’ve reacted to my name pretty well for the first meeting. Some of my teachers thought I was the son of Satan or something.’’

‘’Ah… yes… My name is Aziraphale.’’

Warlock couldn’t help but laugh. ‘’ You react at my name when your name is Azraphel?’’

‘’Well, I can’t be blamed for my name more than I can blame you for yours. It's… the first time I meet someone named Warlock. And it’s Aziraphale.’’ He corrected with a smile.

The two continued to discuss weird names on the bench of a park. Warlock laughed the loudest when Aziraphale told him that his husband’s name was Antony Jantony Crowley. They exchanged other little stories of the past and of their everyday life like if they’ve known each other all their lives.

And once it was time, the two parted ways. Aziraphale would go home to his husband and tell him something along the lines of ‘You’ll never guess who I’ve seen this afternoon!’. As for Warlock, he would go back to his hotel with a smile and a feeling that he won’t have to worry about the wedding tomorrow. He knows, deep down, that it will be the most perfect wedding his daughter could wish for.

What he doesn’t know is that the wedding was also going to be one blessed by an angel himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hope you liked it!
> 
> For the rares ones who might be wondering, some of the name of the ocs are either names I've picked up from shows or podcasts that I'm currently listening to, even Dahlia's character is sort of based of someone from a podcast, I'll let you guess who...
> 
> Anyway here is the link to the art of foxleycrow again because we can't have too many of those.  
> Tumblr: https://64.media.tumblr.com/0d90e9262bb36b46fbbd46bf6745be8e/793599976a13a9bd-7d/s1280x1920/2a215980b68bd9d2401ed6d53b80fc6d44cbf606.png


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